Cbeasina and folding machine



March 15, 1927. 1,620,986

F. THOMAS CREASING AND FOLDING MACHINE Filed June 19, 24

F/ G 7 INVE/VFOR v Affair Y5K Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES FREDERICK THOMAS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ennasme Ann FOLDING MACHINE.

I Application filed June is, 1924. Serial No. 721,094.

In the manufacture for example of garments, or more accurately parts of garments, it is customary to fold the same at the edges or some of them and not infrequently and in addition to crease the same for additional folding.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide for accomplishing these two operations at the same time andby means of a single machine. Another object of the invention is to provide satisfactory and comparatively simple means by which well known machines employed for folding and pressing margins can be made to perform the additional function of creasing for further folding.

Generally stated, the invention comprises, for creasing and folding machines, a complemental rib and groove provided on the table and die over the edges of which a fabric is marginally folded and pressed, the

rib and groove adapted to crease the fabric for additional folding.

Other objects of the invention will appear from'the following description at the end of which the invention will be claimed and in the following description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which Figure 1 is a top or plan view of the die showing also a fabric but omitting the folders and pressers which are parts of. known machines and too well.understood to require illustration.

Fig. 2 is an edge view showing of the table in section.

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view illustrative of a use of the invention hereinafter described. I

Fig. 4 is an edge or sectional view of the product of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating another use of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a viw similar to Fig. 4: and

45 showing the product of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view illustrating another application of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 77 of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a View illustrating a product of Fi 7 in section.

' in the drawings 1 is a rib and 2 is a groove complemental to the rib, and these are provided on the table 3 and on the die which is collectively designated 4 on the drawing.

a part As shown the die consists of a back 5 and a plate shown as consisting of parts 6 and 7 secured to the back 5 and of which one, 6, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5, is provided with a flange which constitutes the rib 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 it may be assumed that a is a piece of fabric intended to be folded and pressed all around its margin to provide a patch-pocket, although of course the invention is not limited to the making of pockets. For the sake of description it may be said that there is nothing new about folding and pressing the margin of the fabric a because machines for doing that work are well known and in their operation the die 4 is caused to press the fabric between itself and the table 3 in the operation of folding the margin of the fabric over the top of the die and pressing the folded margin onto the top of the die. However, the mode of operation of my invention is such that the rib 1 in co-operation with the groove 2 creases the fabric in the normal operation of the machine, providing for subsequent hand or other folding. To further explain it may be said that in the case described one end of the fabric could be folded twice, once by the normal operation of the machine and once manually. As shown in Fig. 3 one end of the fabric a maybe folded before it is put into the machine and the machine-permitted to marginally fold only three sides, but the complemental rib and groovemake a crease near the pre-folded end so that thelatter can bereadily, manually folded over. There is an advantage in this because'the folded side margins are turned in under the manual fold presenting a neat appearance and finish. In Figs. 5 and 6 the fabric a may be completely folded around three sides of its margin over the edge of the die by the normal operation of the machine and creased in two places by complemental ribs and grooves and thereafter manually folded 100 on the two creases, thus making a neatdouble end fold with the adjoining folded margins presenting a neat appearance. As shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 the fabric a in addition to being marginally folded by the 105 normal operation of the machine is creased by four pair of ribs and grooves so that it can be thereafter readily folded into the form of a box-plait.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the 110 art that modifications may be made in details of construction and arrangement Without departing from the spirit of the invention which is not limited to those matters 6 or otherwise than as the prior art andthe appended claim may require.

I claim:

A machine of the class descrilhd having a sectional die of which the one section is marginally flanged to provide a rib, a plate FREDERICK THOMAS. 

